Monday, May 28, 2007

Prince Edward Island Election Today

Not any info about the issues or platforms just the bare minimum. PEI is basically a two party province although the NDP always fields candidates.

Prince Edward Islanders go to the pollsLast Updated: Monday, May 28, 2007 | 10:54 AM AT CBC News Prince Edward Islanders are heading to the polls on Monday, deciding whether to hand Pat Binns' Progressive Conservatives a historic fourth term of office or give Robert Ghiz's Liberals a shot at government.

Polling stations are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the first results should be available shortly afterward.

There are 97,810 registered voters, and many of them have already voted. A record-breaking 15 per cent of Islanders cast ballots at advance polls. Voter turnout on P.E.I. is typically high, hitting more than 80 per cent in the past six elections.

Chief electoral officer Lowell Croken said any Islanders looking to vote Monday will have the opportunity, whether they are on the voters list or not.

"All you have to do is to show up at the polling station, and if you're not on the list, you swear an oath of an elector and you do vote," said Croken.

"It only takes half a minute to do that. No one is excluded from voting."

Binns seeks to top Campbell's recordThe Progressive Conservatives have been in power since 1996, when Binns won a comfortable majority with 18 of 27 seats. The PCs did even better in the two elections that followed, winning all but one seat in 2000 and 23 of 27 in the last election, in 2003.

Re-election in 2007 could make Binns the longest-serving premier in P.E.I. history, a mark he would reach on Jan. 9, 2009. Alex B. Campbell holds the record, at 12 years and two months.

Ghiz is fighting his second election as head of the provincial Liberals, after leading them to four seats in the 2003 poll.

Should he win, Ghiz would follow in his father's footsteps: Joe Ghiz governed the province from 1986 to 1993.

The Island New Democrats, led by Dean Constable, are looking to gain their second seat in the provincial legislature, but few are expecting any electoral success for the party this time around.

The Greens are running their first provincial campaign, led by interim leader Sharon Labchuk.

Elections PEI has instructed its employees to count advance poll ballots early so they will be ready for release just after the polls close.

CBC Prince Edward Island will have full coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. on television and 7 p.m. on radio. Election news and background information are available throughout the day at CBC.ca/peivotes2007. Results will be posted to that website as soon as they are released by Elections